


Old Friends

by alafaye



Series: Travels [13]
Category: Doctor Who
Genre: M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-19
Updated: 2015-12-19
Packaged: 2018-05-07 12:56:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5457233
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alafaye/pseuds/alafaye
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>At the Christmas party, Jack and Ianto run into the Doctor and Clara.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Old Friends

**Author's Note:**

> Written for day 18 of the advent challenge and the prompt 'holiday drinks'.
> 
> Direct sequel to previous story in the series, Remembering.
> 
> Masterlist for advent fics is [here](http://alafaye.livejournal.com/437913.html).

Jack fussed with his cuff links and straightened his shirt. Ianto raised an eyebrow. Jack smirked and shrugged. "We did handle two separate cases for them."

Ianto blinked. "You did? When?"

"Long ago," Jack said. "I was passing through, helped out this woman. She was _very_ grateful."

Ianto chuckled. "I'm sure. So you've dressed to impress?"

"Impress you," Jack corrected. "But I told her I was someone very high up. She expects me to dress a certain way."

"Should I start calling you Your Majesty?" Ianto teased.

Jack laughed and waved him off. The doorman looked at them like they were hired help; his eyes widened when Ianto showed him the invitation. They were bowed in and Ianto, as he had when he'd first visited, was taken back by how Earth like the home was. It always stirred memories up, no matter how often he was here. 

"You know, I'm still not sure how they manage to replicate the architecture," Jack muttered, looking around the hall as Ianto was. "I mean, I remember some of this as new when I first traveled back in time."

Ianto smiled, glad that he wasn't the only one. They handed their coats to an attendant and were directed a bar that was serving "classic Earth holiday drinks". Ianto shared a look with Jack. A man stepped up, leaning over the counter.

"Do you have a cranberry martini?" he asked.

"Doctor?" Jack asked, leaning around Ianto.

"Jack?!" the man turned. "And Ianto! What are the odds?"

Ianto took in his lover -- showing his age for once, instead of younger than his previous regenerations -- and decided it was a good look. He smirked. "I thought you'd prefer eggnog."

The Doctor shrugged and pointed. "Clara wants the martini. I want a sparkling water."

"She looks familiar," Jack muttered.

Ianto frowned and took a good look at Clara. "Wasn't she with us on Xyltar?"

"And B'thilm?" Jack asked.

The Doctor grinned. "Clara Oswin Oswald. Among many other names. She's... complicated. But ever lovely and always saving me."

"She's like River, isn't she?" Ianto asked.

The Doctor shrugged. "A little. It's complicated."

"Yes, you said," Jack pointed out. He collected all the drinks on a little tray -- fruit punch for Ianto and Jack -- and led them all over to Clara. "Though don't tell us that trouble's heading our way. I like this house. And this couple."

Ianto rolled his eyes when the Doctor opened his mouth. "We both do. They're really very nice."

Clara smiled tightly at Ianto and Jack. "Friends of yours?" she asked.

"Jack Harkness," the Doctor introduced. "Ianto Jones. They're... "

"Former lovers and traveling companions," Ianto finished. "Pleasure to remeet you."

She frowned, studying him. "We've met?"

The Doctor shook his head at Ianto and Jack. Complicated apparently was an excellent word. The Doctor smiled tightly. "Immortals by accident. They have traveled with me."

"And been intimate with you," she said. "I thought you were above all that."

The Doctor huffed and Jack chuckled. "It depends on how convincing you can be."

She nodded, unsure. The Doctor cleared his throat. "Anyway. Here we all, old friends now. On Christmas no less! I think. Ianto?"

"In a way," Ianto answered. "For the colonists who celebrate it still, today is the holiday."

"Do you two celebrate it?" Clara asked, sipping her martini. "Oh, wow. That's, um."

"Strong?" Jack teased.

She put the drink down. "Not a cranberry martini. Mm. Well. Drinks aren't quite the same as they are on Earth."

Ianto bit his lip to stop himself from correcting her term since, for her, the Earth they remembered still was there. He tried the punch and smiled. He offered her the drink. "Try this. It might be more your speed if you're looking for something more Earth like." He took the martini to drink and hummed. "Like chocolate, Earth is the only one that has cranberries. It tastes like I remember it, but also a little like what they think is mint." 

She raised her eyebrows, taking a sip of the fruit punch. "That's better."

He smiled. "Thought it might be."

Jack sighed. "Well, Doctor, can I convince you to dance? I think I've lost Ianto to Clara here."

She winced. "I didn't -- I wasn't -- ."

"It's fine," Jack assured her with his charming grin. "Ianto and I have an open relationship. Doc?"

The Doctor sighed, but took Jack's hand. Ianto shook his head. "Ignore Jack. He thinks he's charming."

She laughed. "Once you get under that handsome exterior, he's actually a softy, isn't he?"

He nodded. "A little. Also, a bit more closed off than he is projecting."

She bit her lip. "So when you said former lovers... ?"

"Together and separately," he answered. "When you live for a long time, an open relationship survives better than a closed one."

She shook her head. "Whatever makes someone happy."

He studied her as she watched Jack make the Doctor dance a ridiculous waltz. "It's difficult. We are all human after all. Jealousy is as familiar to us as pain."

She side eyed him. "Ianto Jones, you are rather smarter than you appear."

He smiled and held out his elbow. "May I have this dance, Clara?"

She took a deep breath. "He makes it all very complicated, doesn't he?"

"He likes to think he keeps it all simple, if you would believe it," he confessed.

She laughed. "I like you, Ianto. I think we could be very good friends."

He winked.


End file.
